Register device



June 29, 1948. ARD 2,444,224

REGISTER DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 llA/j V June29,- 1948. c, GARDNER 2,444,224

REGISTER DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1946 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 -r counters."---register structure of-simplified construction pro- "-viding' aplurality of separate counters with Patented June 29, 1948 UNITED"STATES i A T ENT OFFICE REGISTERDEVICE Lowell C. Gardner, North Miami,Fla.

' Application August 16, 1946,: Serial No; 691,088

. ,6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a register device. It is particularly usefulin the registering of golf e scores and other data; and is preferablyemployed in'combinationwith a timepiece.

An-object of the invention is to provide a registerwhi'ch-will registeror 'set out upon separate '-indicia-bearing disks the results of a countor score; whileat the same time providing means for totaling the resultsupon the separate disks A further object is to provide a which a manualmember may be broughtinto clutching engagement so as to provide a recordupon each of the counters while at the same time providing atotalizingcounter or counters setting forth-the aggregate of the individualcounters. A further object is to provide such counter mechanism withmeans for automatically resetting the same upon-operating a resetmemben' Yet another'object is to provide means in a counter structureembodying individual counters and totalizing counters, separate controlmeans for releasing the-individual counters to restore them to zero, andmeans for returning the totalizing counters to zero." Yet anotherobjectis to provide a unique structure in which individual coun- "ters arearranged in' an annular row around a "circu1ar case; together with meansfor aligning a manual control member with the separate "counters *foractuation thereof, and means for recording the movements of the manualactuator Yet another object The invention is illustrated, in a preferredembodiment; by the accompanying drawings, in

' Ewhich- Figure I is a plan'- view of a 'registerstructure embodyingmy. invention;.Fig. 2, a plan View of the circular portion of thestructure shown. in

Fig. 1, the dial andglass cover being removed;

"""Fig. 3, a perspective'andpart sectional viewv of.

the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a detail *"sectional .view, the:section being. taken as indicatedait lln'e l -4' ofiFig}. 3";" Fig. 5,a' detail sec- 1;tional View, the section. being .taken as indicatedati'line 5:--5 or. Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a broken detail sectional View, thesection being taken as' indica-ted at1ine---6-E of Fig. 2; Fig, 7, aplan view of the totalizin-g'counter gears and the mechanismior stoppingeach at zero duringresetting; Fig. 8, a

- sectional detail-view, the section being taken as indicated at line8-8 oiFig. 4; Fig" 9, an vexploded perspective viewof the manualmechanism for actuating the counters; Fig. 10, a transverse sectional.view on an enlarged scale; Fig. 11-, a perspective view of the springband employedyFig. 12, a perspective view" of therotat- .able selectorring employed; and Fig. 13, a perspective view of the pawl. or: latchdevice used with the separate counters.

v In the illustrationgiven, l0 designates a main casing- -body providinga central recess or chamher and having a lower threaded portion ll.

Threadedlyengaging the portion 1 I is an outer :casecover o-r-bottom I2.

The casing body In is provided peripherally with anannular recess 83in-which is rotatably recesses shafts l6.:' Thebody it also provides. asshown mounted a rotatable ring l4, 'A1s0,.the body-l0 i provided atspaced intervals with longitudinal 15 adapted to receive therotatablemore .clearly in Figs. 3 and 10, a-plurality of raised bosses ll adaptedto rotatably receive the individual counters it; The body. I0 is alsoprovided with a central boss i9 upon which isv ro- 'firmly secure andprotect the centraltimepiece 23 against injury.

. I If desired, the lower cover l2 may beintegrally provided withlaterally-extending arms 24 having slots therein adapted to receive aWrist strap band.

\ The individual counters it may be of any de- -sired form or structure.In the-illustration given, "I provide a member bearing numerals oniitsupper surface and having its sidewalls provided with spaced grooves orslots 25. The member I8- is recessed interiorly to house a spring 26fixed to the-casing boss 17- at one end and to the mem- -ber It atthe'other, the-tension of the spring the dial'21 thereabove.

' being such as to maintain the disk It with the numeral zero showingthrough the .aperture in If desired, the counter I8 may be. providedwith a single tooth foren- 3 the dial 2'! is preferably aligned with anhour number shown on the timepiece 23. In addition to the openings 28for the separate counters, there are openings 29 in the dial for thetotalizing counters.

Each of the counters I8 is rotatably mounted upon a pin 38 fixed to theboss IT.

A pawl band 3| is received within the chamber of the casing I8 andaround the separate counters l8. The band 3| is provided with aplurality of outwardly-extending pawls 32 adapted to engage the verticalgrooves in each counter so as to maintain it in fixed position. The band3| is provided with a recess 33 adapted to receive an arm 34 carried bya pivotally-mounted bell crank 35. The crank 35 is provided with aleverterminating in a handle 36 by which movement of the arm 34 and thecorresponding movement of the ring 3| may be effected to release thepawls 32 from engagement with the individual counters l8.

It will be observed that the ring gear 20 has teeth 31 verticallyaligned with the teeth of grooves 25 of the individual counters i8 sothat a single device may be employed for actuating both at the sametime.

The shaft I6 is adapted to be rotated and is equipped at its end with across member 38 so as to engage the teeth 31 of ring gear 28 and theteeth 25 of individual counter l8 to actuate both simultaneously. Theshaft l6 is provided at its upper end with a crosspiece 33 adapted to beengaged by a rotatable sleeve 48 having inwardly-extending arms 4|, asshown more clearly in Fig. 9. The sleeve 40 has inwardly-extending teeth42 engaging a grooved actuating member 43. The actuating member 43 has areduced upper end 44 permanently fixed to an outer button 45. Member 43is guided within a casing sleeve 46 and a spring 41 therein normallyurges the button to its outer position, as shown more clearly in Figs. 9and 10.

In order to stabilize the shaft 16 and to prevent any undesired rotationthereof, I prefer to flatten an inner portion of the shaft l6 at 48. Thefriction ring 49, as shown best in Fig. 11, bears against the flattenedportion 48 of shaft I6 and is provided with depending spring legs 58extending through a slot 5| in the casing body In and bearing againstthe inner face Of the bottom cover i2.

In order to prevent excessive rotation of the rotatable ring I4 withinthe channel [3 of casing I0 and in order to align the ring |4 so thatthe rotatable sleeve will readily engage the shaft |6 at selectedintervals, I provide the top wall of the ring [4 with indentations 52,as shown best in Figs. 10 and 12. Balls 53 carried by the body l0 andurged by a rubber seat engage the indentations 52 in the upper springface of the member |4 so as to releasably lock the ring M in the desiredspaced alignments. Ring I4 is provided at one section with a solidportion 54 through which extends an opening 55. The opening 55 rotatablyreceives the sleeve 48.

From the structure already described, it will be understood that theseparate counters I8 are normally held in fixed position by the springpawls 32 of the ring 3| and that each of the counters l8 may be actuatedseparately by the manual button 45 to bring the desired score or othernumeral in the opening 28 of the dial so as to thus register a score orother numeral for a given golf hole or any other event.

By utilizing the ring gear 20 and a totalizing counter, I provide at alltimes a total count of the score as the individual counters aresuccessively operated. When the shaft I6 is rotated to move the counterl8 one space, the crosspiece 38 simultaneously engages the tooth 31 ofthe ring gear 28 therebelow and moves it one space.

A totalizing unit gear 56, as shown best in Fig. 4, is in constant meshwith the teeth of the ring gear 20. The gear 56 is mounted upon a shaft51, and upon a reduced end portion 58 of the shaft is mounted a resetgear 59. Above gear 59 is an indicator disk 68 bearing numerals up toten. The gear 56 has a depending tooth 6| adapted to engage once duringeach revolution an adjacent totalizing gear 62. This gear has a disk 63thereabove registering numerals in tens. A third gear 64 carries at itsouter end a disk 65 for registering hundreds. Each of the gears 56, 62and 64 is provided with a friction washer 66 to prevent accidentalmisplacement of the gears and to maintain a desired friction upon each.Gear 56 is provided with a cam recess 61, gear 62 is provided with a camrecess 68, and gear 64 is provided with a cam recess 69. It will benoted that the recesses 69 and 61 are inclined in a different directionfrom the recess of gear 62. Gears 56 and 64 rotate in a differentdirection from the intermediate gear 62. A cam member 10 is supported bya flat spring II in the position best shown in Fig. '7 and serves thepurpose of stopping each of the gears with the numeral zero in registrywith the opening 29 in the dial during the resetting operation.

The winding stem 12 of the watch 23 extends through the opening 13 inthe pawl band 3| and through a passage in the casing body H1. The springband 3| is cut away at 14 to permit the action of a reset shaft whichwill now be described.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 8, the gear or ratchet 59 fixed upon theshaft 58 of the gear is adapted to be moved for resetting the gears 56and thereby gears 62 and 64 to their initial positions. As shown moreclearly in Fig. 8, a shaft 15 is slidably mounted in a slot 16 in thecasing body l8 and is provided with a handle portion Tl.

At its inner side, the shaft 15 is provided with teeth 18 adapted to bebrought into engagement with the ratchet 59 when the shaft 15 is drawnoutwardly. The shaft 15 is normally guided for reciprocal movement bythe overhanging member i3 secured by the screw to the casing body. Alatch bar 8| is guided within a bracket 82 for horizontal movement andthe bar carries a pin 83 which, in the position shown in Fig. 8,maintains a spring pawl 84 out of contact with the teeth of ratchet 59.The inner end of the latch bar 8| is provided with a pin 85 adapted toengage an inclined surface 86 of the actuating shaft 15. A spring 81connects the lower end of actuating shaft 15 and the bracket 82. It willbe noted that there is an intermediate reduced portion 88 of the shaft15 where the shaft is not provided with teeth and where the shaft, whenin the inner position shown in Fig. 8, does not engage the ratchet teeth59.

The slot 13 provides a limit for rotation opening 3|.

The shaft 15 is provided with a notch or recess 85a to receive pin 85.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the casing body In may be provided withan undercut 89 between the end portions of spring 49 for the totalizinggears 56, 62, and 64. If desired, the stem 12 of the timepiece may beenclosed within a rubber or resilient collar .90, as indicated moreclearly in Fig. 2.

Theiball gtl slides in between the teeth of the ring earzilto maintainthe teeth always in line.

Operation The operation of the device will be described, for-the ose ofsimplicity, in connection with the reels v ring-of scores on a golfcourse, but it will he understood that the structure may be emp oye f h?i i A s -a Qle has been l e a the operator 35. 0 re is 5 9 il ha P tihole, he swings the button 45 so as to bring it into alignment with thehole in question. For example, if the hole is number I, he will swingthelbutton .45 until it isv aligned with the numeral t shown onatheouter edge of the dial 21. When he reaches .the pointof alignment, theballs 53 Qf, casing Hi will slip into the corresponding recesses andthus will facilitate the alignment of the manually-operated means withthe shaft IS. The operator will then press the button 45 inwar dly' toindicate the number of strokes taken qnthat hole. For example, if thescore is 4, the operator will press the button 45. inwardly four times,As the member 45 moves inwardly, it carries-the groove shaft 43 bodilywith it and rotates the sleeve 4;0. Sleeve 46 causes its arms 41 toengage the .crosspiece 3}) of shaft l6 and rotates the shaft /2revolution. Similarly, the crosspiece or teeth 38 at the opposite end ofthe shaft it simultaneously moves the teeth 25 of counter I8, and theteeth 3,! of ring gear 263. The four separate inward movements of thebutton 45 resultin the rotation of the counter [8 andthe-numeral-bearing disk thereon so as to bring the numeral .4 intoalignment with the opening 2% of the dial. At the same time, the ringgear 20 is rotated to the extent of four teeth, and this causes thetotalizer gear 56 to register four units on its disk 60-.

W-hen hole 2 has been played and the score is. say, 5, the playerwillswing the button 45 un til it is aligned with hole 2 as indicated on thedial, and the button 45 is pressed inwardly five times successively sothat the individual counter l8 aligned therewith will show the number 5through the opening 28 aligned with hole 2. The ring gear 20 is advancedby five teeth and this is registered by the totalizing unit gear 56 toshow the number 9. As the total score increases, the gears 62 and 64will be brought into play, the depending tooth 6| of each gear engagingthe next adjacent gear once during each revolution thereof so that theintermediate gear 62 will register in tens and the outermost gear 64will register in hundreds.

After nine holes have been played and the player is ready to start onthe tenth hole, he will raise the handle 36 and this movement will swingthe latch ring 3| to the left and thus will release each of theindividual counters l8. Upon such release, the spring 26 of each willimmediately restore the counter to its zero position. The handle 36 maythen be pushed in to its normal position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Thismovement moves the latch ring 3| back to its initial position in whichthe pawls 32 are eifective for maintaining each of the separate countersI8 against movement.

It will be noted that the above release operation in which theindividual counters are restored to their zero position, does not affectthe totalizing gears and, as the player proceeds through the second nineholes, the aggregateof the scores indicated on the separate counters isadded to the total score already indicated for the first nine holes.

At the conclusion of the game and when it is desired to reset the entireregister for the next days game, the handle 38 is first drawn outwardlyto release the latch or pawl ring 3| so that the individual counters :8are restored to their zero position. The handle 36 is then presseddownwardly to restore the pawls 32 to operative position. The handle ll,as shown best in Fig. 8, is then drawn outwardly so as to bring theteeth 18 thereof into engagement with the ratchet 59. This movementcauses the lever 8.! to swing inwardly under the downward pressure ofspring 84 and at the same time the spring pawl engages the ratchet teeth59.. Upward and downward movement of the shaft 75 rotates teeth 59 so asto reset the totalizing gears 59., 62 and 64. In the resettingoperation, the spring-urged cam member iii, having cams engaging thenotches 6?, 68 and $9 in the gears, serves to. halt, first gear 64 afterit has reached the zero position, and next gear 52 after it has reachedZero position, and finally the unit gear 56 when it has reached zeroposition. It will be noted t at such cams and notches do not interferewith the movement of the gears in the opposite direction during therecording operation.

The register device is particularly useful on a. golf course in that itenables the player to mark each stroke at the time he makes the stroke.Thus, after each play, the player Will press, a button 415 inwardlycausing a revolution of the shaft it, thus rotating the counter [8 onestep. In the pressing of button 4 5, the sleeve 40:

first, by reason of friction, moves inwardly to,

its inner position and at that point starts its rotary movement.

On resetting the totalizing counter to zero, the members 7,6. will bringthe pawl first into engagement with recess 69, leaving the gears 62 and56 free to operate. After gear 62 is rotated to zero, the member 16brings its second pawl into engagement with recess 68, stopping the gear62, but leaving unit counter gear 56 free to operate. When unit gear 56reaches zero position, the third pawl of member 10 will engage recess 61to stop counter gear 56.

In the combination structure shown, the timepiece 23 has the hournumbers thereon preferably aligned with the registry openings for theseparate holes. With this structure, the operator can align the minutehand with any selected hole and determine the intervening period of timerequired to play it and any selected number of succeeding holes. Thewatch is resiliently held within the enclosure provided by the annularrow of counters.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth certain detailsas illustrative of an embodiment of the invention, it will be understoodthat such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a register device, a casing providing a. chamber and an annulargroove in the periphery thereof, a plurality of actuator shaftsextending through passages in said casing between said annular grooveand the interior of said chamber, means carried by the inner end of eachof said shafts for actuating counter mechanism therein, said countermechanism comprising individual counters and a totalizing counter, and amanual member for actuating said shaft to effect the rotation thereof.

2. In a register device, a casing providing a chamber and an annulargroove in the periphery thereof, a plurality of actuator shaftsextending through passages in said casing between said annular grooveand the interior of said chamber, means carried by the inner end of eachof said shafts for actuating counter mechanism therein, said countermechanism comprising individual counters and a totalizing counter, and amanual member for actuating said shaft to effect the rotation thereof,said manual means being rotatably mounted within said peripheral grooveand adapted to be brought into releasable engagement with each of saidshafts.

3. In a register device, a casin providing a chamber and an annulargroove in the periphery thereof, a plurality of actuator shaftsextending through passages in said casing between said annular grooveand the interior of said chamber, means carried by the inner end of eachof said shafts for actuating counter mechanism therein, said countermechanism comprising individual counters and a totalizing counter, and amanual member for actuating said shaft to effect the rotation thereof,said manual means comprising a reciprocable member and a rotatable leeveconnected thereto by a pin and spiral groove means, and clutch meansconnecting said sleeve to one of said shafts.

4. In a register device, a casing providing a chamber, said casinghaving an annular groove extending thereabout, a ring rotatably mountedwithin said groove, a plurality of spaced shafts extending through saidcasing and having ends extending into said groove, counter members arranged Within said chamber in releasable engagement with said shafts,and manually-operable means carried by said ring and adapted to bebrought into engagement with a selected shaft for rotating the same toeffect movementol' said counter mechanism.

5. In a register device, a casing providing a chamber, said casinghaving an annular groove extending thereabout, a ring rotatably mountedwithin said groove, a plurality of spaced shafts extending through saidcasing and having ends extending into said groove, counter membersarranged within said chamber in releasable engagement with said shafts,manually-operable means carried by said ring and adapted to be broughtinto engagement with a selected shaft for rotating the same to effectmovement of said counter mechanism, and spring-locking means foraligning said manual means with said shafts.

6. In a register device, a casing providing a chamber, said casinghaving an annular groove extending thereabout, a ring rotatably mountedwithin said groove, a plurality of spaced shafts extending through saidcasing and having ends extending into said groove, counter membersarranged within said chamber in releasable engagement with said shafts,manually-operable means carried by said ring and adapted to be broughtinto engagement with a selected shaft for rotating the same to effectmovement of said counter mechanism, and spring means engaging each ofsaid shafts to prevent free rotation thereof.

LOWELL C. GARDNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,119,256 Eaton Dec. 1, 19141,271,927 Murchey July 9, 1918 2,308,064 Eacrett Jan. 12, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 373,272 Great Britain May 23, 1932

